Chronology of Events Relating to the Burning Times

(including the Salem Witch Trails)

672-735- Bede wrote Ecclesiastical History of the English People (a history of Christianity in England). His book is referred to in the Malleus Maleficarum.

900- The Canon Episcopi was written.

1184-  Episcopal or Medieval Inquisition begins

1233- The first Papal ordinance directly dealing with witchcraft was by Pope Gregory IX  to Conrad of Marburg, bidding him to proceed against the Luciferians. In mid year, Conrad of Marburg was found murdered in pursuit of his duties.

1234 (May27)- 8000 "Stedingers" killed

1239 (May 29)- 180 burned for witchcraft at Montwimer, France

1258- Pope Alexander IV to the Franciscan Inquisitors

  • refrain from judging any cases of Witchcraft unless there was some very strong reason to suppose that heretical practice could also be amply proved.

1275- Angela de la Barthe burned at Toulouse, France

1307 (October)- 36 Knights Templar died under torture in France

1310- 54 Knights Templar burned in France.  Peter of Albano died in prison

1312- Burning of Jacques De Molay, Grand Master of the Templars

1314- Burning of 39 Knights Templar in France

1315- Enguerrand de Marigny is hanged in France

1317- Hughes Geraud is burned in France

1320-50- Witchcraft added to the list of Inquisitional heresies. Over 200 people were burned at Carcassonne, France

1323- Some "witches" were burned at Kilkenny, Ireland

1324- Petronilla de Meath burned as a witch, the first such burning in Ireland, A man dies in prison in England

1330- Barthelemy Andrius, Jean Andrius, Phillippe Andrius  & burned at Carcassonne, France

1335- 63 burned at Toulouse, France, 5 burned at Carcassonne, France

1352- 8 burned at Carcassonne, France

1357- 31 burned at Carcassonne, France

1387-1400- 67 burned at Carcassonne, France

1399- 1 burned at Berlin, Germany

1400- Many "witches" burned at Simmenthal, Switzerland

1423- Many "witches" burned at Carcassonne, France

1428-1434- Over 200 people executed in the Valais, France

1428-1447- 167 executed in l'Isere, France

1431-Joan d'Arc burned at RouenFrance

1432-1432- 24 executed in Toulouse, France

1437- 150 executed in Briancon, France

1438- Pierre Vallin, Jean Greland & 10 others are executed in France

1439- Hanchemand de Mazelier is arrested in Germany

1440- Execution of Gilles de Rais, on charges of witchcraft

1441- Roger Bolingbroke is hanged, drawn and quartered in England, Margery Jordemaine burned in England

1446-1447- 3 burned in Savory

1453- 7 killed at Marmande, France

1455- 1 burned at Locarno, Italy

1459- Several people were burned in Arras, France (This is also the times during Vlad the Impaler had his reign)

1460- A person was burned at Cambrai, France

1470- 2 burned in Burgundy, France

1472- 3 burned at Forno-Rivara, Italy

1474- 2 burned at Levone, in Italy

1475- 5 burned at Forno, Italy

1478-1834 Spanish Inquisition

1479- Several People burned at Edinburgh

1482- 4 burned at Metz, Germany

1482-1486- 48 burned at Constance

1484- Pope Innocent VIII sets severe penalties against German witches and magicians, 2 burned at Toulouse, France. The Pope also decreeing Inquisitors Sprenger and Kramer, (authors of the Malleus Maleficarum), the rights to:

  • "be empowered to proceed to the just correction, imprisonment, and punishment of any persons, without let or hindrance, in every way as if the provinces, townships, dioceses, districts, territories, yea, even the persons and their crimes in this kind were named and particularly designated in Our letters."

1485- 2 burned in Chaucy, France

1488- 29 "witches" died  in Germany

1493-1541- Paracelsus, a Physician claimed that everything he learned came from "an old witch".

1486- Maximilian I, Emperor of Germany and King of the Romans signs papers in Brussels giving permission to Sprenger and Kramer (authors of the Malleus Maleficarum) to carry out their duties, and commanding cooperation with them. Malleus Maleficarum was published.

1500- 1 executed in France, 30 burned in Calahorra, Spain

1510- 1 burned in Saxony, Germany and 60 burned in Northern Italy

1515- Over 500 people were burned in Geneva, Switzerland

1515-1588-Johan Weyer born in Brabant (Belgium), a German physician. Believed most witches were disturbed old women, incapable of harm. Felt that the belief in witchcraft was caused by the devil. In 1563, he wrote De Praestigiis Daemonum. Was forced out of Netherlands by the Catholic Governor, Duke of Alba.

1518-21- 64 burned in Val Camonica, Italy, 4  are burned in Waldsee, Germany

1521- 2 burned in Besancon, France

1523- 100 burned in Como, Italy

1524- Over 1000 executed in Como Italy

1528- Ursula Wachin is burned at Waldsee, Germany

mid 1500s- Over 900 people executed by Nicolas Remy, Mark Antony Bragadini is beheaded in Italy,  Madeline Amalaric is burned in France, Margaret Dunhome is burned in Scotland, William Barton is executed in Scotland, Hans Deineris burned in Germany.  A deaf male is killed by a mob at Sible Hedingham, Marie Balcoin is burned in the reign of Henry IV of France 

1529-1596 or 1530-1590- Jean Bodin (a French Judge) In 1580, he wrote De la Demonomanie des Sorciers. He Claimed that those who denied the existence of witches were themselves witches. (The date of his death is somewhere between 150 to 1596)

1530-1616- Time of Nicholas Remy (French Lawyer) fought against witches. In 1595 he wrote Demonaltry and sites 128 cases of Witchcraft as his sources.

1531- Elsbet Mullerin is burned at Waldsee, Germany

1536- Many people were executed at Saragossa, Spain

1536-1774- Portuguese Inquisition

1540- 2 are burned at Rouen

1542-1834 (?)- Roman Inquisition

1545- Barbara Echtinger is imprisoned for life at Waldsee, Germany

1546- Burning of Anne Askew

1549- 8 people burned in France

1555- 3 burned in Germany

1556- 1 burned in France

1557- Janet Douglas burned in Scotland & Joachim Hezensohn is beheaded in Germany

1561- 5 burned in France

1563-1603- Over 17,000 killed in Scotland

1564- 1 burned in Scotland

1565- 1 person is hung in Dorset, England

1566- The Chelmesford witches. King James VI of Scotland (James I of England) was born (as in the King James version of the Bible)  During his reign 20 people were executed. He died in 1625.

1569- 2 people are hanged at St. Andrews, Scotland

1571- Many people burned in France

1572- 2 burned in Scotland

1573- Mary le Fief, of Samur, France, accused of witchcraft, Over 70,000 are executed in England

1574- Gilles Garnier burned as a werewolf in Dole, France, Several are executed in Paris. a man is hanged in England

1576- Marguerite Pajot was executed at Tonnerre, France & Bessie Dunlop is burned at Castle Hill, Edinburgh, Scotland

1577- Catherine Doree is executed at Courveres, France

1578- 3 executed in England, 36 in Ireland & Jeanne Harvilliers in France

1581- 9 were burned in Waldsee, Germany

1582- 19 killed in England

1583- Jean Bonnet in France & Several in Italy are burned alive

1584- Publication of The Discoverie of Witchcraft by Reginald Scot, suggesting that maybe witches didn't really exist.

1585- 7 are burned in Waldsee, Germany & Margaret Hacket is executed at Tyburn, England

1586- 15 were burned in Waldsee, Germany & 2 people are burned in Paris, France

1587-1593- 368 persons killed for witchcraft in the diocese of Treves

1587- 2 were burned in Waldsee, Germany

1588- Alison Pearson is burned in Scotland. 1 burned in France

1589- 133 persons burned in one day at Quedlinburg,  Germany, 48 burned in Wurttemberg, Germany, 2 burned at Cologne, Germany, 3 hung in Chelsford, England, 3 were burned in Waldsee, Germany.  Peter Stubb is executed as a werewolf near Cologne, Germany

1590- 54 burned in Franconia

1590-1600- In Brunswick average of 10 people a day were burned, Over 300 burned in Switzerland.  The North Berwick Witches were put on trial. The trial concluded in 1591.

1591- Euphemia Macalzean burned alive in Scotland for witchcraft.  Agnes Sampsoune tried, strangled, burnt & 3 are hanged 1 is burned as a witch in Scotland, 1 burned in Holland

1592- Abel de la Rue, of Coulommiers, France, accused of witchcraft

1593- Condemnation for witchcraft of three members of the Samuels family in Warboys, England.  One "Rosseau and his daughter", of France, accused of witchcraft

1594- 2 are burned at Waldsee, Germany & Alison Balfour is burned at Edinburgh, Scotland

1595- 9 executed in Toulouse, France, 3 executed in England

1596- Isabel Cockie burnt as a witch, at a cost of 105 s. 4 p.  The Sieur de Beaumont accused of witchcraft & 2 people are executed in Scotland

1597- The Dean of Guild, William Dun, granted 47 pounds, three shillings, and 4 pence for "the great number of witches burnt this year", 3 people were burned in France, Jacques Roulet is burned alive for being a werewolf, at Angiers, France, & Alse Goodridgeis executed at Darbie, England

1598- 1 burned in Holland, 24 burned in  Scotland, Pierre Aupetit is burned at Bordeaux, France

1599- 77 burned in Switzerland, 2 were executed in Germany, & Anne Kerke is executed at Tyburn, England

Part 2